Sandy Mush Herb Nursery

One of my favorite spring herbs chives comes in several different varieties. The uses for making herbal vinegar and cooking with chives are explored in this post and lots of resources for mail ordering unusual herbs such as curly chives are given.

Lemon Verbena Lady is anxious to get planting new herbs in her herb garden. She explores the wonderful world of herb plant catalogs both in print and online in three installments because there is just so much herbal information to pass along!

September ... long month, no? The election frenzy is roiling; the DOW keeps tanking as the $700 billion bailout plan goes to vote in Washington; banks are scared to lend each other money, causing over-leveraged companies to hit a brick wall; the President is on TV telling us that, indeed, there are problems afoot.

Choosing the ideal products for your skin type can get complicated. Take the guesswork out of your beauty routine and get a head start on clean skin in 2013 with Elemental Herbology’s NEW Starter Kits.

My herbie radar goes into overdrive during this time of year and I’m on the prowl for celebrations of all things herbal. How fortunate to know about the Herb Fest in Beaumont, Texas—my old stompin’ grounds.

The New York Times reports our carbon emissions in 2011 were the highest on record. Reduce your family's carbon footprint by choosing vegetarian recipes such as Fennel and Leek Soup and Delicata Squash Stuffed with Wild Mushrooms and Herbs.

The Lemon Verbena Lady shares more about her experience at the 100th RHS Chelsea Flower Show, a popular flower show in the United Kingdom. Here she discusses which of the Chelsea Flower Show gardens were her favorites.

Atrazine, a common herbicide that can cause birth defects, washes off crops and lawns and makes its way to our drinking water supply. Atrazine levels in our water supply are highest between the months of April and July, especially in the Midwest.

Looking for a last minute Christmas gift? Look no further! This adorable gift from the garden is inexpensive, easy to make and enriched with sentiment, courtesy of our good friends at Botanical Interests.

No one will miss the meat when you serve up fabulous vegetarian versions of Thanksgiving favorites. Try two versions of mushroom stuffing, mushroom gravy or delicious roasted Brussels sprouts this holiday!

As summer dwindles down to a close, you may be left standing in your garden or kitchen thinking "Now what?" Preserve herbs with our expert tips: dry, freeze, pickle and pack them to continue enjoying your favorite herbs well into the winter.

The Lemon Verbena Lady finds even more great herb farms to buy herbs for your herb garden in this second installment of Herb Farms A-Z. Take an adventure to an herb farm near you. It will lift your herbal spirits!

The Lemon Verbena Lady searches for herb farms across the United States that can be visited to buy herbs for spring herb gardens. Most of these herb farms are destinations you can enjoy with your family.

When I saw Susan Belsinger's book about roses on the International Herb Association website, I was thrilled. She was kind enough to allow me to share this Rose Vinegar recipe from her "The Roses in Your Vinegar" article.

Delve into the research behind another unusual herb from across the globe. Szechuan buttons are electric-packed flower buds that have numbing properties, giving them the aptly named moniker, the "toothache plant".

The Chinese lantern plant (Physalis alkekengi), also known as the winter cherry, enjoys a library of culinary and medicinal benefits. Here are the answers to some of the questions you have asked about growing this incredible species.

The borage plant (Borago officinalis) is a tall herb with hairy foliage, blue starshaped flowers and many useful properties. Whether you use it for healthy, tasty greens, a medicinal herb or a companion plant for your strawberries and tomatoes, you’ll be happy you planted borage.

Gather herbs for crafting herbal remedies with our expert help. We share basic guidelines for determining the appropriate time of year to harvest each part of a plant and teach you how to harvest herbs from gardens.

Personalize your gift giving with a unique herb garden gift. While this time of year conjures images of poinsettias that fade and collect dust long before the holiday festivities are done, a customized herb kit is a meaningful gift that will provide fresh herbs and provide naturally lush décor for many months afterward.

Herbs might not be the first thing that come to mind when you start considering ways to save money, but they actually can be a great help in cutting costs while boosting health, flavor and the general deliciousness of life.

Jessica expounds on the concept of "Cures in Your Cupboard" from the September/October 2011 issue with a few additional natural remedies for anxiety, general wellness, headache and menstruation/menopause.

Learn to craft herbal medicine at home or in the wild using the folk method. This informative and useful guide provides helpful tips and step-by-step instructions for making tinctures the traditional way.

Herbal syrups are a wonderful vehicle for immune-boosting, antiviral and antibiotic herbs for use any time of year. Use this simple method to make a powerful tool in the fight against biological baddies.

Madalene Hill left a lasting impression on many people in her life, including The Herb Companion. Such an influential and inspirational figure in the herb community, K.C. Compton reflects on Madalene's influence.

More and more people are giving up conventional shampoo and conditioner in lieu of homemade hair rinses. For shiny, beautiful hair, use gentle cleansers free of chemicals on your hair. Try one of these three herbal hair rinses: Rose-Chamomile, Cacao-Rosemary and Nettle-Lavender.

The Lemon Verbena Lady goes back to her tried-and-true favorite, lemon verbena, and makes sure to stay prepared for the upcoming fall and winter season. She offers ways to preserve that wonderful lemony flavor so that you can savor it all fall and winter long.

It's difficult to understand supplements when reputable sources just can't seem to get it right. The NPA recently challenged the Wall Street Journal about an article they published concerning dietary supplements. Read more.

Although there are many workshops and classes available that will teach you how to “make your own” medicines and crafts, it's sometimes just as easy as snipping herbs and heading into the kitchen. This article is a quick how-to look on making medicinal oils.

The Lemon Verbena Lady spends time with Jekka McVicar, the "Queen of Herbs," and shows her the sights of Pittsburgh with herb gardens, both public and private, a retail experience and a delicious lunch cooked with fresh herbs and ingredients.

It wouldn't be fall without apple pie, cobblers, dumplings, baked apples and my favorite—apple crisp. But don't limit yourself to apple desserts. Create savory apple dishes with the help of these delicious herbs.

Don’t let the flu, a cold or any aches, anxieties and pains get the best of you this season. With the season already upon us, here are a few herbs, fruits and foods to consider to help relieve your aches, pains and anxiety.

If you heard me on Martha Stewart Radio this morning, I talked about healing burns with herbs, calendula, and getting enough sleep during the holidays. Curious about some of the topics I talked about? Here are links to more information about these topics.

It is time, however, to start cleaning up garden beds and preparing for new plants in the garden. If, like me, you've allowed that pesky Coastal Bermuda to invade your beds, now is the time to dig it out. Learn more.

I wish you could experience the English Walled Garden at the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe, Illinois. Blooming wisteria drapes over rows of trellised classical columns and flowering fruit trees shimmer in the breeze.

It was once stated by ethnobotanist Melvin Gilmore that echinacea was used as a remedy for more ailments than any other plant, and it's not hard to understand why. The history behind this versatile coneflower is rich in remedies and medicinal uses. Read on to learn more about the history of echinacea.

The dandelion is one of the most hated weeds in America, but also the mostly widely used wild green in the world. Learn how this herb was used historically, how it can treat many ailments, such as liver diseases and eczema, and how to make a dandelion omelet.

Every herb has a story, and that of licorice begins with its reputation as a “sweet herb.” Plants are put on this earth to provide nourishment and healing benefits. Licorice is one of those unique and special plants that does both.

Everybody’s looking for the cure to cancer. When will it be found and where will it come from? A new herb has recently emerged as a possible new treatment for cancer. If you’ve never heard of guinea hen weed, read this now.

The Lemon Verbena Lady and her Herbal Companion celebrated Herbfest and the 2011 Herb of the Year, horseradish, at The Village Herb Shop in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. This was an herbal destination not to be missed.

Until this year our newest guest blogger thought loofahs were a sea sponge. Wrong! While visiting California she came across The Luffa Farm in Nipomo, California. Discover what's so great about growing a luffa gourd!

NOTE We never trade products for mentions in our blogs or our published magazine. We do receive free samples and will mention them only if we like the product or find it especially effective. A few years ago a friend

Fennel is the perfect herb for the gourmet cook who loves to grow special ingredients. It requires some attention to blanching, mounding soil around the growing basal bulb to keep it white and tender, but is well worth the extra effort.

If you’re looking for a healthy and eco-friendly dog shampoo that smells great, then look no further than Olive Bubble + Squeak Herbal Dog Shampoo. This shampoo is USDA approved organic, 100 percent biodegradable and bottled in recyclable plastic.

It's important to have accurate information about any herbal remedy you are thinking of using. Dr. Jaclyn Chasse shares her own experience with misleading media representation and clinical studies of St. John's wort.

Valued for centuries for its fragrance and flavor, cinnamon has a wide variety of medicinal uses. Studies have shown that cinnamon can be useful in lowering blood sugar levels for people with diabetes, fighting infections and treating stomach ailments.

Chives are a cool-season, cold-tolerant perennial that love full sun and well-drained soil. Get your chance to grow chives from seed in your garden by entering our special garden giveaway. Ends March 7, 2012!

After its exploding popularity in the late 19th century, echinacea was widely researched. Since then, numerous echinacea benefits have been discovered. Try these two simple echinacea remedies to fight the common cold.

Fall is the best time to replant herbs if you're in an area with moderate winter temperatures. Our guest blogger in Texas shares which herbs she planted this fall, including her newest addition Moujean tea (Nashia inaguensis), a lovely, fragrant shrubby herb.

The natural world has many treatments for the cold and flu—and some of them might surprise you. Elderberry, Echinacea, green tea, oregano and garlic are my favorite natural remedies for treating and preventing illness.

It is still very hot here in my part of Texas. Day after day the temperature reaches 100 degrees or above with no rain. I was in town this morning and two people stopped me to ask how to keep their plants alive in this weather. Here is my advice.

We think that we know our herbs, and exactly what they do. However, there are also those herbs with a mysterious past. Here are five of the weirdest herbs we’ve found that might be hiding in a garden near you.

Spring is the perfect time to wild craft gently soothing vulnerary herbs, such as plantain and violet leaf, to make healing oils and salves. Learn more about these wonderful springtime botanicals with useful recipes for infused oils and medicinal salves.

The Lemon Verbena Lady has been enjoying the 2012 Herb of the Year, the rose, in her garden. In this post, she shares her five favorite roses and instructions for how to make a delectable Rose Petal Jam.

Gardening is for everyone, even those with disabilities who think they are unable to. The problem to overcome is how to adapt and make adjustments so hyou can grow your own organic vegetables and herbs.

I've had little opportunity to actually test live plants in my tenure with The Herb Companion. So, when DutchGardens.com sent me some of their beautiful tulip and hyacinth varieties, I was excited and impressed! See some results in this photo-blog!

In the summer of 2008, one guest blogger started reading Rosemary’s Sampler, an herb blog by two of her two favorite sisters from Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, and was inspired to start writing her own blog: Lemon Verbena Lady’s Herb Garden.

During farm tours at Finca Luna Nueva, an organic farm and resort in Costa Rica,, guests learn about the biodynamic preparations and compost that feed the vibrant, tasty produce they eat for dinner. The resort is connecting tourists to their food.

Although most of us would love a lush landscape or garden, in reality, few of us have the time, space or other resources available to maintain one. Whether you’re short on space or short on time, these small space garden

As the paper garden catalog is slowly sinking in the west, the Lemon Verbena Lady is searching out herb seed catalogs and websites offering the best seed catalogs and herb seeds of every kind. This is the first installment of several catalog and website postings.

Turmeric, a curcumin-containing spice commonly used in Indian curry, has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicines to cure a number of ailments. Discover the health benefits of turmeric!

Sit back with your favorite herbal beverage and join the Lemon Verbena Lady as she travels from Canada to Europe and back to the United States visiting gardens and checking items off her herbal bucket list.

A reader's request leads Lemon Verbena Lady into exploring the works of William Shakespeare for some of the herbal flowers and herbs of Elizabethan England. There is so much that there had to be a second act.

Lemon Verbena Lady finally makes a holiday-inspired craft—dried herb wreaths—from one of her favorite Christmas books. It repurposes your old potpourri into charming mini wreaths for gift giving or decorating. Part two will show you how to make a mini spice wreath.

Decorate your home with zero-waste decor that can be reused, recycled or consumed—instead of toxic landfill trash. The Christmas decorations of Colonial Williamsburg offer inspiration for using natural decor.

Welcome to Mother Earth Living, the authority on green lifestyle and design. Each issue of Mother Earth Living features advice to create naturally healthy and nontoxic homes for yourself and your loved ones. With Mother Earth Living by your side, you’ll discover all the best and latest information you want on choosing natural remedies and practicing preventive medicine; cooking with a nutritious and whole-food focus; creating a nontoxic home; and gardening for food, wellness and enjoyment. Subscribe to Mother Earth Living today to get inspired on the art of living wisely and living well.

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